Clamp for burial-vaults



F. E. ARNDT.

CLAMP FOR BURIAL VAULTS.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 14. 1919.

1,327,01 1, Patented Jan. 6,1920.

moewtoz passes havin UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT, OF GALION, OHIO.

CLAMP FOR BURIAL-VAULTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6,

Application filed June 14, 1919. Serial No. 804,292.

and clamps having screw-threaded engage ment with the bolts and frictionally engaged therewith so that upon an initial movement of the bolts, the clamps will be swung around into locking engagement with the wall of the vault, and then upon a further rotation of the bolts, will be drawn toward the door to lock the door securely in position and at the same time hermetically seal the vault.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stop block through which the bolt means thereon which will positively limit the rotation of the clamp to an operative position but which is so formed that it will allow a relatively considerable inward movement of the clamp under the action of the bolt to thus cause the gasket between the door and the bolt to be compressed to its full extent.

A further object is to provide in a construction of the character described a clamp having a head at one end and an arm extending parallel to the bolt on which the clamp is. mounted and parallel to the path of movement of the clamp, which arm is adapted to bear against the door of the vault when the bolt has been fully turned up and the clam has been drawn to its full extent against t e plunger-on the body of the bolt whereby the clamp will be supported at two points to thereby prevent the clamp from exerting a bending strain on the bolt.

And a further object is to cheapen constructions of this character, and provide a construction which is very simple, in which the parts may be readily assembled, and which does not require to beattached by rivets or other means to the door of the vault itself.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

section of a burial vault My invention is illustrated in the accomz' panying drawings, wherein Flgure 1 1s a fragmentary longitudinal provided with my F g. 3 is aface view of the'stop block; and Fig. 4 s a side elevation of the stop block. Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the vault body, this vault body being open'at vault body on its inner face is an angleiron 11 havlng an inwardly extending flange 12. Dlsposed exteriorly of this flange is a gasket 13. The vault door 1 1, which is of metal, is

Disposed at a plurality of points around the door 14 are the looking or clamping devices which I will now describe. The door '14 adjacent its margin is formed with a plu- Adapted to rest against the inner faceof the door at each one of these openings is a stop block 16, which is approximately segmental in form, and which is provided with tion of its length from the-head and'then being screw-threaded, as at 23, and formed with a transverse opening for a cotter pin. Mounted upon the screw-threaded portion extends radially in one direction andis formed with a curved head 25. The opposite end of the clamp is formed 'withan arm 26 which extends parallel to the bolt-23.

the bolt is the same as the distance ofthe stop lugs 19 and 20 from the axis of the central bore 18. Therefore, these stop lugs will be disposed in the path of movement of 105 this arm 26. .Disposed between the clamp 24 and the face of the stop plate or block is a coiled compression spring 27. The operation of this device will beobvions. Before the door 14 is inserted in the 110 iriigpoved lock;

g. 2 is an inside face View of the lock;

one end. Attached to the open end of the a a u of a size to fit within the end of the vault. q

rallty of square or polygonal openingsla w a square hub 17 adapted to fit within the shank of this bolt being smooth for aapcr-w 23 of the bolt is a clamp 24, WhichclainpF-G The distance of the arm 26 from the 2'1.xis ()i5"- lugs 20.

, arms 26 will thus ward, compressing the spring 27.

end of: the vault, all of the clamps 24 are turned so that the arms 26 bear against the Under these circumstances, the clamps will be turned with their arms in parallel relation to the angle iron 12 The spring 27 will secure sufficient friction between the bolt and the clamp, but when the bolt is turned, the clamp Wlll turn with it. Therefore, all the bolts are rotated initially so as to carry the clamps around with their heads 25 extendin over the flange 12. The be brought in engagement with the stops 19. A furtherrotation of each bolt, therefore, cannot rotate the clam any further but the screw-threads 23 an act upon the clamp to draw the clam 1nnasmuch as the lugs 19 and 20 extend outward parallel to the path of movement of the arm 26, it will be obvious that these lugs are relatively long and will permit considerable inward movement of the clamp. As the clamp moves inward it will draw the door against the gasket 13 and cause a compression of this gasket. When the asket has been compressed to a sufficient egree, the end of the arm 26 will bear against the face of the door, and it the bolt has been slightly bent by the pressure of the head 25 agamst the flange 12, the bearing of the arm 26 against the face of the door on the further rotation of the bolt will cause the restraightening of the bolt.

A washer of lead or any other sultable material 28 is disposed around the shank of the bolt between the head 22 and the door, this washer being of such size as to cover the opening through the door, thus making an absolutely tight joint between the hea of the bolt and the door.

The advantages of this invention reside, for one thing, in the fact that the parts may be readily assembled and that the stop block does not need to be attached b rivets or any other means to the face 0 the door. And a further advantage lies inthe fact that the load on the bolt is equalized after the gasket has been compressed to a certain degree and as much pressure may be put on the bolt as is required without deforming the bolt. It will further be seen that practically the amount of compression which maybe placed upon the gasket is not limited, as the nut is rotated after the arm 26 has reached the door, this will cause the clamp to fulcrum on the extremity of this arm and the head 25 to bear with increased force on the flange 12. It will be seen that the fastening means is all inside the vault where it is fully protected. When it is desired to open the vault, the bolts are turned olf'and this action unscrews the clamp so that it moves outward until the arm 26 escapes from the stop 19 and then a further rotation of the bolt will turn the clamp to a position where its head is parallel to the flange 12 and released.

It will be understood, of course, that there are a plurality of these bolts disposed around the vault door adjacent the margin thereof equi-distantly, and that all of these bolts grip the flange 12.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction and form, I do not wish tobe bemg dprovided with an arm, a stop lock forme with spaced lugs with which said arm is adapted to engage, said stop block havmg a non-rotative engagement with the first named part, and a spring interposed between the clamp and stop block and holding the stop block in operative position.

2. A vault door, a locking device there: for comprising a bolt having a head and a shank extending through the door, the outer end portion of the shank bein screwthreaded, a clamp screwhreade on the bolt and having a headon one end, and an arm extending parallel to the bolt on the other end, a sto block on the inside of the door and held rom rotation, having a pair of sto lugs extendin outward from the stop b ock parallel to t e bolt, the stop lugs being disposed in planes in angular relation to each other, the arm on the clamp being adapted to engage one or the other of the sto lugs to prevent a rotation of the clamp wit the bolt, said sto lugs permitting a rotation of the clamp t rough a segment of a circle, and a coiled compression spring bearing at one end against the clamp and at the other against the stop block.

3. va-ult door having a polygonal opening ad] acent its margin, a locking device for the vault door comprising a stop block disposed on the inside of the door and having a polygonal hu b engaging in said polygonal opening, the stop block being formed with a pair of lugs projecting outwardly from the door and disposed in planes having angular relation to each other, a bolt passing through the stop block and rotatable therein and hav ing the inner end of its shank screw-- threaded, a clam having screw-threaded engagement with the bolt and having a curved head at one end, and an arm at the other end extending parallel to the axis of the bolt and adapted to abut against one or the other of the stop lugs when the bolt is turned to a quarter of a revolution, and a spring bearing against the stop block and against the clamp.

4:. The combination with a vault open at one end and having at this end an inwardly extending flange and a gasket upon the outer face of the flange, of a door for closing the open end of the vault having at its margin a polygonal opening, a stop block resting against the inner face of the door and having a polygonal head for the polygonal opening, the stop block being formed with two outwardly projecting lugs disposed in planes in angular relation to each other, a bolt having a head at one end passing through the stop block and rotatable therein, the inner end of the shank of the bolt being screw-threaded, a clamp through which the screw-threaded portion of the bolt passes and having at one end a head and at its opposite end an arm extending parallel to the axis of the bolt and adapted to engage with one or the other of the stop lugs on the stop block when the clamp is turned, a compression spring bearing against the stop block and against the clamp, and a washer. disposed betWeen the head of the bolt and the doors.

5. In-combination with parts to be locked together, one of said parts being formed with a non-circular opening, a stop block formed with a hub corresponding to and receivable in said opening whereby to preven1 the rotation of said block, said block being formed with laterally spaced lugs, a bolt carried by said last named part, a clamp carried by the bolt and engageable with the other part, said clamp being provided with an arm extending between said stop lugs and adapted to engage therewith whereby the movement of the clamp is limited in both directions, and an expansion spring encircling said bolt between the stop block and clamp and bearing against the same whereby the spring serves to hold the stop block in engagement with the opening in the first named part.

6. In combination with parts to be looked together, one of said parts being formed with a' non-circular opening, a stop block formed with a hub corresponding to and re ceivable in said opening, said block being formed with lugs extending parallel to the axis of the opening and disposed in angulal relation to each other, a bolt passing through the stop block and freely rotatable therein. a clamp carried by the bolt and having a head on one end engageable with the other part and at its other end provided with an arm extending parallel to the bolt and disposed between said stop lugs and adapted to engage therewith whereby the movement of said clamp is limited in both directions, and

an expansion spring encircling said bolt between the stop block and clamp and bearing against the same and serving to hold the stop block against detachment from the opening in the first named part.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa ture.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

